Depression

Depression is more than a temporary case of the blues. If you’re experiencing persistent sadness and hopelessness, seek care from the faith-based mental health counselors at Open Door Wellness Center in Great Falls, Montana. They’ll help you manage depression using talk therapy, medications, and behavioral interventions. To get the care you need, call today and set up a consultation or use the online tool to book an appointment.

What is depression?

Depression is a diagnosable mental health condition where you feel low, sad, hopeless, and full of despair. An occasional bout of depression is normal, especially following a major event like a job loss or death in the family, but long-term feelings of sadness and misery indicate you may need support. 

When you have clinical depression (also known as major depression), you can’t overcome these unpleasant feelings.

What symptoms accompany depression?

Depression causes emotional distress but can also cause physical problems like: 

• Trouble staying asleep or sleeping too much
• Persistent fatigue 
• Irritability
• Increased or decreased appetite
• Headaches
• Chronic aches and pains
• Digestive distress

Depression can make it so you’re no longer interested in activities that you once loved. You might start withdrawing from loved ones and turn to substances to help numb your feelings. 

Depression can lead to thoughts of self-harm and suicide. 

Why do I have depression?

Depression may have a genetic component. It can also occur with hormonal shifts after childbirth or as a symptom of another mental health problem.

A triggering event, such as a divorce, can also lead to depression. Other reasons people develop depression include:

• Chronic stress
• Serious health problems
• Relationship breakdown
• Chronic pain
• Losing your job 

There’s no one specific cause of depression, and it may be due to a combination of factors. However, research shows that people with depression have changes in their neurotransmitters, which are brain chemicals that regulate your mood. 

How do you treat depression?

The providers at Open Door Wellness Center know that there are many factors involved with overcoming depression. The team can help you follow a path that improves your life outlook and reforms behaviors to help you find more peace and happiness in day-to-day life. 

You may participate in faith-based counseling, family counseling, and behavioral health care to help you learn how to manage depression. Medications complement this therapy as they act on the neurotransmitters that improve your mood.

If you’re struggling with feelings of depression, call Open Door Wellness Center today to set up a consultation. Alternatively, use this website to book an appointment online.